Serendipity

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Things happen for a reason and for things to happen, timing has to be just right.  On my way to get some groceries, I had to stop by my local running store today to buy GU for my Rock N Roll USA Half Marathon race coming up this Saturday.  But before going to there, I snuck a quick stop at the Five Below store to look at St. Patty's Day things that I might be able to wear to the race.  I ended up lingering too long, almost bought a lime green bob style wig, but decided against it - not enough time to test-run it!  Next thing I knew, I was running out of time because I had to pick up my boys at the bus stop.

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So I rushed to the running store, grabbed my GU packets, paid for them, and left.  On my way to my car, I heard a "Heyyy!  How's it going?"  I turned around and saw Ian, the running store manager, and we ended up catching up on all things running.  When I mentioned my RnR race, my PF stricken foot, my decision to run/walk 13.1 miles, my feeling a tad discouraged about it... Ian shook his head and basically told me, "Nah, you'll be fine, everyone gets PF.  Here.  This is what you need to do until the race."  So he gave me free advice on how to self-treat Plantar Fasciitis.

His advice?  Get a golf ball and REALLY put your weight on the ball to the point where you're crying like a baby.  Then, slowly roll the ball along the entire length of the bottom of your foot, pushing really hard on the tender spot and cry.  He said if you're not crying, you're not putting enough weight on the golf ball - which is probably why PF hasn't gone away, in my case.  After wiping away your tears, then ice, he said.

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So the whole time I was listening to him, I kept thinking, how did he know this was exactly what I needed wanted to hear?  Is this a sign?  I was immediately reminded of Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist - "When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it."  I want many things, more than anything in the world, I want a healthy and happy family, but right at that moment, I want to keep running until I'm in my 90s.  I want to run my first full marathon in October.  I want no pain while I'm running.  I want to run happy.  I want to be ok for this Saturday's race.  So there was Ian, part of the Universe, helping me achieve what I want or at least helping me get to where I want to be.  If I hadn't decided at the last minute to stop by the Five Below store, and if I hadn't lingered longer than I needed to at the Five Below store, Ian might not have been there at the running store to see me and give me the advice that I needed to hear.

I left the running store with more hope that I will be ok at this Saturday's race.  I will keep running, I will run my first full marathon, I will have no pain while running, and I will run happy again.  Still learning so much after just a year of running consistently and really thankful for these encounters, reminders, to take small steps, one day at a time, and I will get there.  I will.


Have you read Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist?  Do you believe in his quote:  "When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it."?  Do you think I'm reading too much into this?